You are misleading. Only healthcare in the part of EU where I live went up 35% during the last five years, and it was never for free -- you must pay mandatory health insurance (plus it covers only the cheapest, standard basics). And that's just healthcare. So, the European social contracts might be slightly better than the non-existent American one, especially in the "old" EU states or UK, but they only prolong the agony. Well, all hierarchic societies, no matter the tweaks, checks, and balances, are bound to collapse sooner or later.